The home improvement industry has seen significant growth in the last decade. It is estimated that consumers spent over a quarter of a trillion dollars in 2005 on home improvement projects, and that number has been growing at a rate of about 7% per year. As a result, manufacturers and retailers spend significant effort in trying to differentiate their products from the competition.
One commonly undertaken home improvement project involves adding fences, railings, outdoor-rooms and similar structures to homes and landscaping. Railings and fences can be added for aesthetic reasons, such as to add interest to landscaping. In other applications, railings and fences are practical or mandatory. For example, a raised deck will require railings to comply with building codes.
Standard deck railings and fences are typically constructed using a series of posts anchored to the ground or flooring structures. The posts are connected via generally rectangular planar sections that provide the containment function, such as preventing the passage of people or animals. In many fencing and railing systems, these sections are formed by a top and bottom vertical rails that are tied together by a plurality of vertical members sometimes referred to as balusters. In other arrangements, the top and bottom railings are tied together (or integral with) a solid sheet of material, such as mesh, glass, metal, wood, composites, etc.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both solid fencing/railing section and “open” sections that use balusters. For example, the solid sections can block wind and prevent the passage of very small items and can offer privacy. However, blocking the view of what is behind the fence or rail can sometimes be a disadvantage. An open section provides a view through the railing, with the resulting loss of privacy. Oftentimes, a user may want the privacy of a solid section during some conditions, and yet under other conditions may desire the outward-looking view provided by open sections. It would be advantageous, therefore, to have a fence or railing that selectably offers the advantages of both open and solid sections depending on current use conditions.